The three-act Los gavilanes ('The Sparrowhawks')
shows Guerrero at his most distinctive. Ramos Martín's
libretto is no literary masterpiece, but it does boast a well-constructed and
unusually involving storyline not unlike Dürrenmatt's The
Visit, and the composer grasped its theatricality with both hands. Beyond
that, the poignant subtlety of the protagonists' situations clearly suited the
composer's gift for gentle melody and sympathetic, pastel characterization.
Guerrero's orchestral scoring, too, is efficient and even delicate as occasion
dictates.

Above all, Los gavilanes has a consistent melodic
inspiration and spontaneity which the composer perhaps never quite matched,
despite the superior technical finish of later works such as La rosa del azafrán. Number after number hits
the spot, the comedy numbers (never Guerrero's greatest strength) being as
effective as more obviously stirring numbers like Juan's opening Romanza and Tango milonga; then
there is the magically poised Romanza de
la Flor for the tenor; with a high-lying line almost as hard to sustain
as Nadir's famous aria in Bizet's Les Pecheurs de Perles,
Gustavo's "Flor roja" is amongst
the most perfect pearls in the zarzuela repertoire.

Act One,
Scene 1 takes place on the seashore of a Provençal fishing village in
1845. It is dawn, and the fisherfolk are about their business (Coro:"Pescador, de tu playa te alejas".) The fifty-year old Juan explains
how, many years ago, he left the village in search of fortune. Now he returns
rich with the silver of Peru, though he never forgot his home (Salida:"Mi aldea"). Two old fishermen
come down to the shore, and when Juan identifies himself they happily spread
the news of his return. The villagers had believed him dead, but now all
clamour to greet the long-lost "Indian" before he heads off to rest at his
brother's home (Coro y solo:"Pensando en ti noche y
día".) A choral interlude introducing the "Sparrowhawk" motif
(Copla:"Palomita, palomita") prepares the next scene.

Scene 2. The outskirts of the village. The sea is visible in
the background. Emma and Nita, Juan's nieces, show off the jewels their
uncle has brought them from Peru. Clariván, the lame old Mayor, tells
them that he and Juan were very dear friends in their youth - indeed in an
exchange of sporting blows, Juan lamed him whilst Clariván split his
friend's skull, and they remained inseperable ever after. Juan's brother Camilo
and his wife Renata, luxuriating in splendid if somewhat overblown jewelry,
appear just before Triquet, Sergeant of the Gendarmerie and another old
sparring partner of Juan. He is soon arguing with Clariván as to which
of them was really the Indian's best friend. When Camilo tells them that his
brother intends to spend money improving the town, Clariván - as Mayor -
naturally offers to administer the good works. Camilo and Renata go into the
house, warning their daughters that now they are rich, they must leave their
fisherman-fiancées.

A pretty village girl, Rosaura, cheers the two girls up in a
lively Foxtrot, helped by Triquet (Cuarteto cómico:"No
hay por qué gemir".) They respond by teasing her about her
friendship with a certain Gustavo, but she denies that there is anything
between them - though her behaviour when the young man in question appears
leaves that open to question. The villagers burst in, shouting enthusiastically
until Juan comes out of the house and greets them with a few well-chosen words
in his Tango milonga:"El dinero que atesoro". Triquet and
Clariván compete in a display of friendly ardour, but the Indian
pretends not to remember them. He invites everyone to have a drink on him, and
after the villagers head off for the inn the Indian tells his old friends why
he left so suddenly all those years ago. It was to get wealth enough to marry
his sweetheart Adriana. Her mother, however, swiftly married her off to an rich
older man, after which there was no reason for Juan to return. They tell him
that Adriana is now a poor widow.

Left alone at last, Juan hears Gustavo in the distance, serenading
his love (Copla:"Soy mozo y enamorado".) The song saddens him
("Qué verdad dice la copla".) A woman's voice is heard, which he
seems to recognize - could it be Adriana? It is, and soon they are
nostalgically recalling their old feelings (Dúo:"Dulces
recuerdos") When she presents her daughter, Rosaura, Juan is stirred by the
girl's resemblance to the woman he once loved, and he offers to call on them
that evening. As the women leave, the Indian catches sight of Rosaura slipping
away to join Gustavo, and the act ends with the two young lovers singing
together by the seashore.

Act 2 takes
place in the village square that evening, near Adriana's house.
Clariván with the town drummers, and Triquet with his trumpet-playing
gendarmes compete to outdo one another in celebration of the Indian's return
(Fanfarria y marcha: "Tocad, tamborileros".) Adriana brings them
together with a martial hymn to friendship ("Amistad, amistad"), but is
moved when the two rivals remind her precisely why Juan trooped off to Peru in
the first place. Her proud tears are cut short by her mother, Doña
Leontina, who reminds Adriana that only the Indian can save them from
destitution. Rosaura arrives home, followed by Gustavo. Adriana has hopes they
may marry, Leontina does not. Gustavo gives a rose to his beloved in front of
Emma and Nita who admire his graceful compliment (Romanza de la Flor:"Flor roja") before tactfully
withdrawing. The boy almost brings himself to declare his love to Rosaura,
whilst she evidently yearns for him just as strongly.

Juan has made his decision and seeks help from Doña
Leontina. Clariván, Triquet, Camilo and Renata materialise in time to
hear him confess to her that he wants to marry - with Rosaura (Canto:"No importa que al amor mío".) Shocked, the Mayor and the
Sergeant plead with him to reconsider, and when he refuses each charges the
other with the heinous crime of being Juan's best friend. The celebrations for
the Return of the Hero turn to dusty recriminations all round, though the
dancing continues. Gustavo bursts in and halts them (Final:"El baile
debe terminar",) Adriana confirms that the news is true, and Rosaura breaks
down completely. The scandal of the ageing man's offer to the young girl
finally sinks in, and the villagers turn on the defiant Juan as the curtain
falls.

Act 3, Scene
1. Adriana's house at night. Everyone has gathered to celebrate the
approaching wedding (Coro:"Vivan los novios") for Juan has taken
up all Adriana's debts in order to force her daughter to have him, and to avoid
the total ruin of her family Rosaura has accepted her fate. Clariván and
Triquet task Juan with his behaviour, telling him that the villagers have begun
to call him "the Sparrowhawk" for his predatory seizure of such a helpless
dove. When they have gone, Adriana confesses to Rosaura that she had loved
Juan, but never told him so. Mother and daughter lament together in a moving
duet (Duo: "No merece ser feliz") which contains a moving solo
for the older woman ("Para siempre murió mi ilusión".)
Adriana retires, and Rosaura speaks with Gustavo through the open window. They
agree to meet, as the villagers distantly sing the "Sparrowhawk" couplets
("Palomita, palomita".)

Scene 2. The outskirts of the village. The Finale
begins as Gustavo proposes to Rosaura that they elope, and in a passionate
Dúo she agrees (Final:"Rosaura bella".) Adriana
arrives before they can put their plan into action, but Gustavo soon convinces
her that it is the right thing to do. "The Sparrowhawk" emerges from the
shadows - and surprises them by agreeing heartily with the boy. He has found
the courage to renounce Rosaura, and will give her a dowry to marry the boy she
loves. Dawn is breaking again and the villagers return to their song, as this
act of selflessness wins Juan the Indian the respect and the gratitude of them
all.